Past year full of China-Europe highlights

4. China and Europe collaborate in the face of US tariffs

In early 2025, the US administration levied unilateral high tariff rates on major economies. Both China and the EU were on the receiving end, and the US itself also had to bear the disruptive impact.

By April 2025, the US had threatened to raise tariffs on a broad range of Chinese goods to as high as 125 percent, more than doubling import costs in many cases. Following a 25 percent duty on a broad range of EU imports in February, the US reimposed a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports from the EU in March.

Both China and the EU have engaged in negotiations with the US over the tariff issue, and public opinion in China and Europe has been remarkably aligned, overwhelmingly opposing the US tariffs.

Dai Yichen, director of the Institute of European Studies, Institute of International Relations, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said US tariff pressure had further complicated existing trade frictions between China and the EU, yet both sides had a strong political willingness to respond to each other's concerns through dialogue. China has maintained relative stability and continuity in its policy toward Europe, consistently viewing the EU as a strategic partner that promotes multipolarity and supports globalization.

China said it hopes European leaders and businesses will take a rational view of the differences between the two sides and of the reasonable competition that objectively exists, while it is in the interests of both for them to work together to tap into their complementary advantages to expand cooperation in emerging industries, such as green energy, the digital economy, and artificial intelligence.

5. France's president paid a state visit to China

France's President Emmanuel Macron paid his fourth visit to China from Dec 3 to Dec 5, during which China and France issued joint statements on strengthening global governance, responding to global climate and environmental challenges, promoting cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, boosting exchanges and cooperation in agriculture and food, and on the situations in Ukraine and Palestine.

Zhao Yongsheng, director of the French Economic Studies Center at the University of International Business and Economics, said Macron's visit to China could be described as a diplomatic success on three fronts. First, acting on behalf of France and French businesses, he secured substantial commercial agreements with China, giving fresh momentum to bilateral economic cooperation. Second, in his capacity as a leading voice within the EU, Macron sought to stabilize China-EU relations and contribute to broader mediation efforts on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Third, his trip further deepened cultural and educational exchanges, reinforcing the humanistic foundations of the bilateral relationship.

The visit not only reaffirmed the long-standing political ties between China and France, but also demonstrated that countries with different political systems are fully capable of building durable and constructive political trust.

6. Spain's king and queen paid a state visit to China

King Felipe VI of Spain and his wife Queen Letizia paid a state visit to China between Nov 10 and Nov 13, which was the first visit by a Spanish king in 18 years.

As the two countries celebrated the 20th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic partnership, Felipe's state visit was of great significance to the further advancement of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Yan Xiaoxiao, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said Felipe's visit to China underscores Spain's consistent approach of viewing relations with China from a strategic perspective and pursuing a pragmatic, cooperation-focused China policy centered on economic engagement.

The visit also demonstrated that EU member states, such as Spain, are willing to resist pressure from the US and uphold Europe's strategic autonomy. This, in turn, carries significance for encouraging the EU to adopt a more positive and constructive policy toward China.